One of my favourite versions of a roast chicken, and that’s a big statement for me! …
I often crisp up the skin and use the leftover chicken for a Caesar salad (from my book Make More With Less). Don’t worry if you’re not keen on halving the chicken. You can easily make this recipe with a whole chicken, just adjust the cooking times. It’ll take about 50 minutes for a medium-sized whole chicken, but turn down the heat to 190°C halfway through, until cooked through. @kittycoles
Citrus roast chicken
Serves 4
Ingredients
• 1.4–1.6kg whole chicken (cut into two halves so you have 2 breasts and 2 legs, your butcher can do this for you)
• 4 limes
• 1 lemon
• 1 large orange
• 1 tbsp fennel seeds
• A small bunch of thyme
• 3 tbsps vegetable oil or olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 6 garlic cloves, left whole in their skins
For the herb salad
• 1 orange
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 3 tbsps of your best extra virgin olive oil
• 1 fresh red chilli, seeds removed and thinly chopped
• Sea salt
• A generous handful of your choice of fresh herbs (eg, basil, mint, parsley, or coriander)
• A handful of chives
Method
1. Start by cutting the chicken in half – this is optional but worth it in order to get a good dark and caramelised skin all over. It’s simple. Lay the chicken on its back, breast-side down. Hold it by the tail end and at a 45 degree angle, cut down each side of the backbone to remove it, leaving you with an open (spatchcock) chicken. You’ll cut through a few bones, but nothing should be too difficult to get through.
2. Now, flip the chicken over and lay it skin-side down. Cut through the middle of the breastbone, hitting the knife to break the bone, leaving you with two equal halves. (I always say this, but YouTube is your friend here if you need visual guides!)
3. To make the marinade, add the juices of the limes, lemon, and orange to a bowl with the fennel seeds, thyme, oil, and salt and pepper. Add the chicken to a large bowl or, even better, a resealable bag, then pour over the marinade. Toss to coat, then marinate for at least 30 minutes or overnight in the fridge.
4. When you’re ready to cook, preheat the oven to 230°C (fan). Remove the chicken from the marinade (keeping it for later – don’t throw it away!) and place it on a medium, lipped baking tray for 30 minutes before cooking so it’s not really cold going into the oven. You don’t want the tray to be too big or low sided, as you want the juices to catch at the bottom. Add the garlic cloves to the tray, tucking them under the chicken so they roast but don’t burn. Drizzle the chicken with a little olive oil and sea salt, then rub all over so it is evenly coated. Roast in the oven for an initial 25 minutes.
5. Remove the chicken from the oven and pour the reserved marinade around the chicken, then place back in the oven for a further 10-15 minutes until deeply golden and cooked through. If your oven runs hot and the chicken is browning too quickly, turn the heat down to 190°C and continue cooking. These timings will depend on the size of your chicken and oven, so keep an eye on it. 6. Remove from the oven and allow to rest in the tray while you prepare the salad.
Method for the herb salad
1. Using a small, sharp knife, slice off the skin of the orange and remove the white pith. Work over a bowl to catch any juice. Cut out each segment by sliding the knife between the membranes.
2. Add the orange segments and any excess juice to the bowl along with the lemon juice, olive oil, chopped chilli, and a pinch of sea salt. 3. Pick the leaves from your chosen herbs along with the chopped chives and toss. If you want to bulk out the salad, add some cucumber or any salad leaves you like.
To serve
1. Chop the chicken into chunks and place on a serving platter. Squeeze the roasted garlic from their skins and discard the skins. Pour all the juices and garlic from the tray into a small pan, reheat gently, and check for seasoning. Spoon this over the carved chicken and serve to the table with the salad and either some rice, new potatoes, or fresh bread.
SEE MORE: Celebrate Citrus – It’s In Season
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